Smith scores second ton of comeback Test
BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom: Australia’s Steve Smith scored his second hundred of his comeback Test when he reached three figures against England in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston on Sunday.
Smith, 98 not out at lunch on the fourth day, cover-drove fast bowler Stuart Broad for a boundary early in the second session to complete a 147-ball century with his 10th four.
That followed his 144 in the first innings of what is the former Australia captain’s first Test since the end of a 12-month ban for his role in last year’s ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
Smith is now just the fifth Australia batsman to have made hundreds in both innings of an Ashes Test, following Warren Bardsley (1909), Arthur Morris (1946/47), Steve Waugh (1997) and Matthew Hayden (2002/03).
He celebrated by removing his batting helmet and waving his bat joyously towards the Australia changing room.
And while there was applause from a packed crowd, there were also renewed chants of “Crying on the telly, we saw you crying on the telly” in a reference to the emotional press conference Smith gave in Sydney after he was sent home from South Africa. It was the first time Smith had scored hundreds in both innings of a Test match, with the 30-year-old only the second player to achieve the feat in a Test at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground after England’s Marcus Trescothick (105 and 107 against the West Indies in 2004).
Smith, since the Oval in 2015, has scored more than 1,000 runs in 10 Ashes innings.
“When he goes out to bat, it’s almost like he’s in a trance-like state,” former Australia captain Waugh told Channel Nine.
“He knows exactly what he’s trying to do, exactly what the opposition are trying to do... he analyses every ball and it’s like a computer, he spits out the answer,” added Waugh.
When Smith, long one of the world’s leading batsmen, completed his latest century — his 25th in 65 Tests — Australia were 236-4 in their second innings.
That gave them a significant lead of 146 runs. WOBURN, United Kingdom: Hinako Shibuno, known as the ‘Smiling Cinderella’, is on the brink of a fairytale ending in her first major after a brilliant 67 on Saturday gave her the lead going into the final round of the Women’s British Open.
Five shots behind playing partner and halfway leader, Ashleigh Buhai, after seven holes on day three, the 20-yearold Japanese golfer — playing outside Japan for the first time — went on a blistering run to finish on 14 under par 202.
She birdied six holes on a back nine of 30 to move two shots clear of the field with 18 holes to play.
By contrast, South African Buhai stumbled badly on the back nine, dropping shots at the 12th, 13th and 16th and had to settle for a 72 and second place on 12 under.
But two South Koreans are ready to pounce.
Park Sung-hyun, the world No 2, slipped effortlessly into third place on 11 under after a 68 and Ko Jin-young, aiming for back-to-back majors after last Sunday’s success at the Evian Championship, was another shot back after also posting a 68.
“It was a very good round,” said Park, a two-time major winner.
“I really do want to win a major this year, so I got a little greedy and missed some birdies.
“Tomorrow (Sunday) I just have to stay patient and take my chances.”
Ko, the new World No 1, was delighted.
“I had a really great round,” she said.
“I’m now really looking forward to Sunday.
“I’m going home to Korea next week, so it would be nice to go home with the trophy.” ‘NERVES DON’T MATCH ANYTHING’ Shibuno lived up to her nickname as she certainly had plenty to grin about at Woburn.
She said her only goal this week was to make the cut — but now she can dream of becoming a major champion.
“I’m definitely exceeding my expectations,” she said.
“I think I am doing something incredible.”
But she has already shown she is a huge talent.
She won the World Ladies’ Championship (a Japan Tour major) in May and added a second title in her home country last month.
“But the nerves don’t match anything like this,” she added through an interpreter.
“I came to the British Open thinking it would be a links course.
“But it’s parkland, just like Japan so I think that has helped.”
For Buhai, who opened the week with a 65, it was a disappointing dip in form.
A three-putt bogey at the 12th set her on the downward spiral and then she took three from the edge at both the 13th and 16th.
At the short 14th she did well to make par from a bunker.
Charley Hull, the local favourite, just about stayed in touch with a back nine of 32 and a round of 70 for nine under.
“I didn’t play too badly on the front nine, but then really got it going,” said the 23-yearold.
“It’s nice to be going into the final day in contention.
“I have so many people out here supporting me and I am pleased I could play well for them.”
It was a disappointing Saturday for England’s defending champion, Georgia Hall.
She shot a 74 and finished ten shots off the lead on four under. WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN THIRD-ROUND SCORES (par 72, x denotes amateur): 202 - Hinako Shibonu (JPN) 66 69 67 204 - Asheigh Buhai (RSA) 65 67 72 205 - Park Sung-hyun (KOR) 67 70 68 206 - Morgan Pressel (USA) 69 71 66, Ko Jin-young (KOR) 68 70 68, Lizette Salas (USA) 69 67 70 207 - Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 69 69 69, Charley Hull (GBR) 67 70 70, Bronte Law (GBR) 70 67 70 208 - Yan Jing (CHN) 71 70 67, Lee Jeongeun (KOR) 68 71 69 209 - Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 71 70 68, Caroline Masson (GER) 69 68 72, Celine Boutier (FRA) 71 66 72 210 - Sakura Yakomine (JPN) 70 73 67, Pavarisa Yoktuan (THA) 73 67 70, Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) 68 70 72 211 - Kristen Gillman (USA) 71 74 66, Brittany Altomare (USA) 73 71 67, Kim Sei-young (KOR) 70 73 68, Atthaya Thitikul (THA x) 73 68 70, Moriya Jutanugarn (THA) 67 74 70, Lee Jeongeun (KOR) 70 71 70, Minjee Lee (AUS) 71 68 72, Marina Alex (USA) 69 70 72, Nelly Korda (USA) 70 69 72 212 - Hannah Green (AUS) 73 71 68, Teresa Lu (TAI) 73 70 69, Jenny Shin (KOR) 69 73 70, Kim Hyo-joo (KOR) 71 70 71, Georgia Hall (GBR) 69 69 74
THE JAPANESE BIRDIED SIX HOLES ON A BACK NINE OF 30 TO MOVE TWO SHOTS CLEAR OF THE FIELD WITH 18 HOLES TO PLAY